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| Georgia rebuffs Pope over Kelly Gissendaner execution | Georgia rebuffs Pope over Kelly Gissendaner execution |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US state of Georgia has rejected calls from Pope Francis and other activists who urged clemency be granted to a woman on death row. | The US state of Georgia has rejected calls from Pope Francis and other activists who urged clemency be granted to a woman on death row. |
| Kelly Gissendaner, 47, is due to become the first woman put to death in the state in 70 years, on Tuesday evening by lethal injection. | Kelly Gissendaner, 47, is due to become the first woman put to death in the state in 70 years, on Tuesday evening by lethal injection. |
| She planned her husband's murder in 1997. Her former lover, who killed her husband, was given life in prison. | She planned her husband's murder in 1997. Her former lover, who killed her husband, was given life in prison. |
| The pontiff, recently on a US tour, urged the review board to reconsider. | The pontiff, recently on a US tour, urged the review board to reconsider. |
| But on Tuesday afternoon, the board announced it was not granting clemency. | But on Tuesday afternoon, the board announced it was not granting clemency. |
| Gissendaner still has an appeal pending to a higher court and the US Supreme Court. | Gissendaner still has an appeal pending to a higher court and the US Supreme Court. |
| The Pope's appeal for Gissendaner's life was made in a letter written by his diplomatic representative in the US, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, on Tuesday. | The Pope's appeal for Gissendaner's life was made in a letter written by his diplomatic representative in the US, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, on Tuesday. |
| The archbishop wrote that, while not wishing to minimise the gravity of the crime, he implored the board "to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy". | The archbishop wrote that, while not wishing to minimise the gravity of the crime, he implored the board "to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy". |
| The board also heard evidence from Gissendaner's lawyers that she has undergone a transformation in prison, offering support to troubled inmates and showing remorse for her own crime. | |
| And former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Norman Flether made representations to say Gissendaner's death sentence is disproportionate to the crime that she committed. | And former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Norman Flether made representations to say Gissendaner's death sentence is disproportionate to the crime that she committed. |
| She was convicted of murder in relation to the 1997 stabbing death of her then-husband, Douglas Gissendaner. | She was convicted of murder in relation to the 1997 stabbing death of her then-husband, Douglas Gissendaner. |
| She did not actually kill the man, but rather encouraged her lover, Gregory Owen, to commit the act. | She did not actually kill the man, but rather encouraged her lover, Gregory Owen, to commit the act. |
| Owen later took a plea deal and testified against Gissendaner, and for his co-operation was sentenced to life in prison. He will become eligible for parole in 2022. | Owen later took a plea deal and testified against Gissendaner, and for his co-operation was sentenced to life in prison. He will become eligible for parole in 2022. |
| Douglas Gissendaner's family said in a statement on Monday that Kelly Gissendaner's sentence was appropriate. | Douglas Gissendaner's family said in a statement on Monday that Kelly Gissendaner's sentence was appropriate. |
| "She had no mercy, gave him no rights, no choices, nor the opportunity to live his life," the family said. | "She had no mercy, gave him no rights, no choices, nor the opportunity to live his life," the family said. |
| Gissendaner has had two previous execution dates. | Gissendaner has had two previous execution dates. |
| Officials were unable to carry out her sentence in February due to inclement weather, and the new date in March was cancelled after officials said the drug used in the lethal injection was cloudy. | Officials were unable to carry out her sentence in February due to inclement weather, and the new date in March was cancelled after officials said the drug used in the lethal injection was cloudy. |
| The last woman executed in the US was in Texas last year. | The last woman executed in the US was in Texas last year. |